Here you can follow our sailing from Sweden to the Mediterranian.We have a new yacht s/y Carpe Diem, Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 40. Of practical reasons we are still using the homepage of our previous yacht s/y Xavita.

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Eighth day underway to the Caribbean. Halfway within some day. Light winds the last days have made short distances every day, only 100 nm. When our speed is lower than 3 knots the wind cannot fill the sails when Xavita is rolling in the swell that is always present. The sails start to flap, it is both going on your nerves and is damaging to the sails. Then we start the engine. Coming weekend will bring more wind.

What are we doing on an ordinary day on the Atlantic? Besides time for reading and philosophic thoughts there is quite a lot to do. As the yacht is constantly rolling everything take three times as long as normally to execute. A round tour on deck is made daily to check that everything is OK. No lines may chafe against something. Within some hours a sheet line may chafe to pieces against the guard rail. Lines running through blocks are adjusted to not have the chafe constantly on the same spot. Especially the blocks of the wind pilot are eating the lines to the steering wheel.

Thankfully we have overcome the salmonella. Again the meals are the highlights of the day. Although all meals are eaten balancing from deep bowls the home made tinned food taste superb. We have stocked up with own tinned food made in our pressure cooker. Additionally we have bought much tinned food as reserve. An energy consuming deep freezer is nothing for our small yacht and then you need a genset to take care of the electrical supply. Ever second day there is a lovely smell of bread baking. All bread is made onboard.

Communication via the short wave radio is functioning again. A fresh water rinse of the backstay, which doubles as an antenna, and the insulators made it go. Now we can even hear the yachts in the radio net that have arrived to the Caribbean.

As there are no shipping lanes in this part of the Atlantic, we do not take the watch schedule so seriously. The offwatch may sleep undisturbed for 5-6 hours, while the watch is slumbering with an alarm clock that calls every 30 minutes for a quick check around the horizon. The other day there was a sailing yacht passing within eyesight, so we are not completely alone on the sea.

We have also frequent contacts with our children via sms and e-mail sent from our satellite telephone and short wave radio. It is wonderful to take part of everyday life of our children and grandchildren although we are so far away. Today's technical innovations have their bright sides too.

(Don't forget to enter the link at the top of the menue to the right "Current position")